1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable microcomputer, and a display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, laptops (i.e., portable microcomputers) are designed to be compact, light in weight and easy to carry. Such a portable microcomputer (called the “microcomputer) may be dropped while it is being carried by a user. A liquid crystal display unit, one of heavy components of the microcomputer, tends to be easily damaged. There has been a strong demand for a sturdy microcomputer of which display unit is slow to be damaged and resistant to dropping impacts.
In a display unit a conventional microcomputer, a liquid crystal display panel (called the “display panel”) is fixed to a casing using a elastic support which is made of a U-shaped metal plate. The casing and elastic support are fastened using screws, and the elastic support and display panel are fastened using screws.
A mask plate is provided around a front part of the display panel, and covers an area where the display panel is fastened to the casing.
The casing houses the display unit, and supports the display panel via the elastic support. If the display unit is dropped, shocks are directly applied to the casing. The shocks applied to the casing may not be sufficiently attenuated before they pass on to the display panel via the elastic support. In such a case, the display panel may undergo local impact loads coming from the casing via the elastic support, and may be damaged near the elastic support.
On the other hand, it has been contemplated to surround the display panel with a rubber pad or the like. In such a display unit, a mask plate is provided around the display panel in order to cover an area except for a display screen.
The display panel having the rubber pad is relatively free from impact loads applied locally thereto, and more resistant to impact loads compared with the first-mentioned display panel.
It is assumed here that the microcomputer is provided with the display panel supported by the casing using the rubber pad or like. If the microcomputer is dropped by a user in a standing position, the display panel will be damaged.
Therefore, it is very difficult to sufficiently alleviate impact loads applied to the display panel only by covering the periphery of the display panel using the rubber pad or the like, and to protect the display panel against excessive forces.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-345565 discloses an electronic device including cushions which absorb large impact loads by plastic deformation. The cushions seem to protect the display panel against damages even when the microcomputer is dropped.
The cushions of the foregoing citation undergo plastic deformation and absorb impact loads. Therefore, such cushions should be replaced in order to reuse the display panel, which is very troublesome.
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable microcomputer and a display unit which are resistant to damages caused by impact loads.